Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
One Vaccine Begins Phase 2 Trials; Oleandrin Treatment Is 'Remote'
Novavax on Monday announced it would proceed with phase two聽clinical trials to聽determine if its coronavirus vaccine candidate showed positive results for patients. The聽Maryland-based firm is one of several companies around the world working to develop a vaccine to protect against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Its聽move to begin the second phase of study comes just weeks after reporting that its vaccine聽showed promising signs in early trials. (Wise, 8/17)
In related news 鈥�
Is the White House about to promote a new, unproven and sketchy coronavirus treatment? Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and an enthusiastic Trump supporter, says so. He told CNN he took part in a July meeting with President Trump to discuss oleandrin as a potential treatment for coronavirus. But such early enthusiasm for the compound, made using a toxic shrub, is not only strange, but disturbing, three infectious disease specialists told CNN Monday. (Fox, 8/18)